1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reciprocating electric shaver in which a shaving unit, which includes an outer cutter(s), an inner cutter(s), a motor, and a drive mechanism provided in a single unit, is held so as to pivot left and right (or sideways) in a grip section of the shaver.
2. Description of the Related Art
A reciprocating electric shaver in which a shaving unit, which includes an outer cutter(s), an inner cutter(s), a motor, and a drive mechanism that are provided in a single unit, is installed so as to be depressible in a grip section of the shaver that houses therein a power supply unit such as a battery is known publicly.
Japanese Patent No. 3945376 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. H10-43443 disclose shavers in which two upwardly urged lateral supporting arms are provided so that a shaving unit is moved up and down and tilted in left and right directions. For example, when the right side edge of the outer cutter(s) is pressed downward, the entire shaving unit tilts to the right side and pivots to the right side. Likewise, when the left side edge of the outer cutter(s) is pressed downward, the entire shaving unit is tilted to the left side.
In the shaver of the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. H10-43443, the upper part of an outer cutter holder that holds two outer cutters is provided to pivot front and back on a pair of horizontal left and right pins, and two inner cutters are independently urged upward. In this structure, the two outer cutters are moved up and down following the front/back pivot motion of the outer cutter holder. In this shave, however, the inner cutter drive mechanism that reciprocates the inner cutters is provided on the motor side, and it is not provided so as to pivot together with the outer cutter holder.
In the conventional shavers described above, four supporting arms are urged upward by coil springs, and the shaving unit is set to be in contact with the upper edge of the supporting arms. Accordingly, the support structure of the shaving unit is complex since it includes the supporting arms, coil springs and the like, and as a result it has an increased number of parts, and there is a problem that the workability of assembling is poor.
For reciprocating electric shavers, it is desirable that the head part pivot not only to the left and right but also to pivot front and back, thus providing a good contact between the outer cutter(s) and the skin (shaved surface). The above-noted Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. H10-43443 discloses a structure in which the outer cutter holder pivots front and back. However, in this shaver, the inner cutter and the inner cutter drive mechanism are not pivotable front and back, and as a result, there is a problem that the outer cutter front and back pivot motion is not made smoothly.